A Guide to Growing Your Online Community

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week - or #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek if you’re a marketer, perhaps. This year’s theme of community could not have been more fitting for our industry. Traditional communities may have gathered in town halls or cafés, but today’s communities increasingly grow online - on social media, in fact.

For all of its faults, social media is a place where communities grow and flourish. Community - noun: the people living in one particular area or people who are considered as a unit because of their common interests, social group, or nationality - gives us a sense of belonging and purpose, both of which can be found and created on the internet. You just have to know how to use it. 

Like caring for a plant, growing a community takes time, care, and a level of expertise. It’s more than accumulating followers or subscribers; it’s creating a genuine connection and maintaining regular engagement. 

Easier said than done! 

However, there are a few key principles that should guide your community growth strategy. They’re just not as straightforward as sunlight and water…

Know your niche

What does your organisation do? What is its purpose? Before you look to grow a community, you need to be crystal clear on where its roots lie. This North Star can now inform your tone of voice, the content you create, the people you want to attract, and the conversations you want to start. 

Then there’s your niche; the corner of the internet where your community lives. It's tempting to try to appeal to everyone, but successful online communities flourish when they focus on serving someone, not everyone.  

Ask yourself: “What does our audience care about?” “What problems do we help them solve?” “What makes us unique?”

Your purpose and niche, in short, tell you what sort of people are likely to be part of your community. This “client” or “customer” persona” informs every part of your social media strategy. 

Pick your platform(s) 

Chances are, you don’t need to be everywhere. Showing up on every platform can even result in diluted messaging and a more scattered community - and, of course, trying to stay consistent across five different channels is extremely time-consuming. Before you create any business pages or start to consider your profile, work out where your audience spends their time. This is step one of finding your “corner of the internet”!

For example, if you’re an HR agency looking to work with companies and professionals rather than sell to individuals, LinkedIn is a good choice. If you sell more consumer-based goods like clothing or homeware, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok should be your first points of call. Facebook tends to attract a heavily female, middle-aged user; Instagram usually has a younger demographic with an appetite for aesthetics and trends; and TikTok has the potential to reach an even younger audience with its short-form, instant-gratification style of video. X (formerly Twitter) and its newer rival, Bluesky, remain useful platforms for general “housekeeping”, like responding directly to customer questions and sharing any service updates.

It’s a good idea to be present on a few platforms; just know where your main focus lies. For example, Instagram Reels can be repurposed for TikTok, as both formats appeal to a similar type of user. Show up in the places your community likes to “hang out”!

Curate your content

Understanding your niche and your platforms sets you up to create the right kind of content. Every single post you share should add value to its viewers’ days in some way; perhaps it teaches them something they’ll find interesting, inspires them, helps them with something they’re struggling with, or even makes them laugh.

And never post randomly, or “for the sake of posting”. Plan what you’ll be sharing over a chunk of time, ensuring there’s a balance of engaging, informing, and inspiring. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to exactly what you share, but some audience research and a delve into your competitors’ content will give you an idea of the sort of things that might interest your followers. 

Another key point to remember is that you’re not broadcasting, you’re building (or growing!). Social media isn’t a one-way street. The best posts spark real thought. Ask questions, invite opinions, and allow space for people to share their thoughts in a style tailored to your community. Sell without actually selling.

Become friends with your followers

Communities stem from human connection, whether physical or digital. It’s no good simply scheduling a weeks’ worth of social media posts then sitting back and watching them appear,  waiting for a community to take root. This is where community management comes in.

React to comments, respond to direct messages, monitor any page mentions. Take part in relevant conversations if you feel you could add something. You need to demonstrate that you’re listening and that you care about the things your audience cares about.

A loyal community feels part of something, not as if they’ve been left to watch it. As well as paying attention to any engagement you receive, encourage more of it. Polls serve a dual purpose; they’re a quick way to make followers know they’re listened to, and the responses give you valuable insights. Similarly, asking a question at the end of a post could begin all kinds of conversation.

Be more than a brand 

Brands with established communities understand that it doesn't stop at a logo and a product. They have a personality, are a trusted voice, and maybe even act as friend. In 2025, people want humanised brands.

We see this almost literally in Duolingo’s Duo and the “M&M’s Crew”, and whilst you don’t have to have a mascot, you do need to show you’re real. People connect with people. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, introduce team members, celebrate company milestones. Patagonia’s Responsibility Programme lists the goals it’s working towards but cannot yet achieve, which has received a huge amount of positive engagement on social media. Vulnerability and authenticity build bonds.

Finally - patience is a virtue!

You've got to stay consistent, but be patient. As it is with a plant (unless it’s bamboo… did you know that bamboo gets 1.5 inches taller every hour?), growing a community is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll see slower periods and certainly won’t see instant results - brands aren’t like bamboo.

However, persistent effort, genuine care, a long term vision, and just the right amount of water will yield a flourishing online community.